Italian Lemon Pound Cake

Overhead photo of Italian Pound Cake garnished with lemon slices.

A simple cake with big impact. Made with oil, eggs and fresh lemons that creates a bright and fluffy dessert wonderful anytime of the year.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Italian Lemon Pound Cake, Lemon Loaf, Lemon Loaf with oil

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 435kcal

Author Heather

Ingredients

Lemon Pound Cake

6 ounces yogurt *either vanilla or lemon, see NOTE #1 below
3/4 cup oil *see NOTE #2 below
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon zest *from about 2 medium sized lemons, see NOTE #3 below
2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Lemon Glaze

1 cup Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons lemon extract
6-8 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

Lemon Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 350℉.
Line a 9 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray. (see NOTE #4 and #5 below)
In a large mixing bowl whisk together yogurt, oil, sugar, eggs, zest and extract.
In a seperate medium sized mixing bowl whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix together until just incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean (see NOTE #6 below). Cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then remove and let cool completely before applying glaze.

Lemon Glaze

Once cake is completley cooled, mix together half of icing ingredients (1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp extract and 3-4 teaspoons of lemon juice) until smooth (see NOTE #7 below). Pour over top of cake and evenly spread. Let dry for 30 mins and then repeat the process with the second half of glaze ingredients. This trick keeps most of the glaze on the top of the cake.

Notes

*Please use as many organic ingredients as possible.

Recipes Notes

NOTE #1- Use cows milk yogurt with regular sugar.

NOTE #2- For this recipe I used avocado oil. However, safflower or macadamia nut oil are both healthy neutral oils that work well.

NOTE #3- With older lemons it may take up to 4 to retrieve 1 tablespoon of zest.

NOTE #4- The easiest way to line a loaf pan is with one longer strip of parchment lining the length and a thicker square lining the width.

NOTE #5- We love this healthy cooking spray. However, the most affordable I have found it has been at Costco.

NOTE #6- Depending on how hot your oven runs, this lemon loaf may take up to 1 hour and 10 mins to fully bake. Keep a watchful eye on it at around the 50 minute marker.

NOTE #7- When making the glaze add the lemon extract and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to the powdered sugar first and then stir. Add more lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time until you have reached a thick and not overly runny consistency.

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